Fire escape



Feb. 9, 1943. P, NEWBOLD FIRE ESCAPE Filed March 25 1941 gn uehfo r MFIG.3

Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE ESCAPE ParkLester Newbold, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application March 25, 1941, SerialNo. 385,113

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fire escapes and has particular relation to acombination flexible ladder and bracket for use in escaping frombuildings not equipped with attached fire escapes.

One of the grave problems of escaping from the upper stories of housesor other similar build-- ings when inside stairways are blocked byflames, smoke or in any other manner, is having some way available ofreaching the ground in safety.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved flexibleladder of simple and inexpensive construction that will roll up into asmall roll.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for holding theflexible ladder away from outside of the wall.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for engaging theladder to the window sill.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for engaging therungs to the main supports so that there is flexibility.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of theaccompanying drawing and following specification, wherein is disclosed asingle exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding,however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scopeof the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an escape constructed according toone embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective taken at a difierent angle andillustrating in particular the V brace means for holding the ladder awayfrom the outside wall.

Figure 3 is a view of the split ring arrangement for engaging a straightrung to the suspension chains. This arrangement holds the chain links intheir proper positions on the rung and permits flexibility withoutbinding.

Figure 4 is a view of the double V bracket rung showing the split ringmeans of engaging the rung to the chain link. I

Figure 5 is a view of the split ring in open position.

Referring now to the drawing a preferred embodiment of my inventionincludes a ladder indicated generally at I0 and a bracket arrangementindicated at II. I preferably use chains I2 for the main members of theladder with rungs I3 extending through the links and held in place bysplit rings I4. Both side members of the ladder converge together at thetop and are engaged to ahook I! which engages the inside of the windowsill or to other anchorage.

The bracket arrangement II by being inserted through links of thesupporting chains l2 also serves as the top rung, or where placed, andin use the V shaped points I5 rest against the outside wall I6 holdingthe ladder at a distance so that in descending ones hands are notsubjected to injury by coming in contact with the wall.

The split rings I4 for engaging the straight rungs I3 and the double Vshaped rung l I to the chain I2 are placed over the links and the endsforced together into holes properly spaced in the rungs.

I claim as my invention:

In a flexible ladder comprising spaced chains, a rung made of stripmaterial secured to said chains and having its end portions bent to formrearward, V-shaped spacer elements having their free ends secured to thechains of the ladder.

PARK LESTER NEWBOLD.

